Students undaunted after violent eviction

‘DEMISE OF DEMOCRACY’:At least 110 people were injured in the crackdown against the protesters and 61 arrested, which critics say will only fuel the unrest

By Shih Hsiu-chuan / Staff reporter

The protesters shouted at police to protect the people as the police drove a water cannon truck into the back door of the complex on Beiping E Road and forced some reporters from the scene.

At about 1:30am, the protesters lay down arm-in-arm to make their removal more difficult. Some with bleeding faces appeared to have been beaten up by police.

“I am really sad. My father is a police officer. Why are people in this country forced to attack each other? The police will kick you and beat you with batons,” said one man in tears who declined to be named.

A professor surnamed Fang (方) said police had kicked him in the chin, but that he “will go back, because my students are still there.”

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials led by DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) urged police not to use force.

More people forced out of the complex were injured, including Taiwan Solidarity Union Legislator Chou Ni-an (周倪安) and a man suspected of suffering from epileptic seizures. They both lay on Beiping E Road for more than 10 minutes before being helped by medical personnel.

At about 4:20am, the police began to spray water at protesters gathering in the front square of the complex and at the entrance of the main building, and dragged some of them away. Scores of protesters lay down in front of the water cannon truck, and they were sprayed several times.

A man surnamed Chu (朱) said the police slapped him in the face when they pulled him out of the building.

“I didn’t resist the eviction. You wanted to lift me up from the ground, that’s fine, but why did you slap me?” Chu asked.

That night, ambulance sirens were heard often around the complex while medical volunteers rushed about to take care of emergencies.

“President Ma should take the biggest responsibility for the situation today, because he never listens to what people have to say. I didn’t think the Ma government should resolve any issue with the public by resorting to the use of police force. It will only create more resentment,” a man surnamed Kao said.

Meanwhile, saying that no violence should be used against students expressing their views on key national issues, the heads of the Greater Kaohsiung and Greater Tainan special municipalities — both governed by the DPP — yesterday said they are unwilling to offer further police backup to Taipei.

One-hundred-and-twenty officers who were sent from the two special municipalities to Taipei were recalled the previous week.